Fruit-gatherer.



R. e. CRUSON; FRUIT GATHERER.

APPLI CATION FILED SEPT-24,1913.

1 1 43,5 1 2. Pat ented June 15, 1915.

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ROBERT e. censor, or Human, eamroanm.

FRUIT-GATHEBEfi Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1 915.-

Application filed September 24, 1913. Serial No. 791,612.

To all-whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT G. CRUsON; acitizen of the United States, residing at Fillmore, in the county ofVentura and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Fruit-Gatherers, of wh1ch the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to fruit gatherers and it consists in the novelfeatures herein after described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide in combination with a sackadapted to hold picked fruit a chute adapted to be connected with thesack and supported at points along its length upon the arm of anoperator and having at its receiving end a ring adapted to hold the endof the chute open and in a position approximately at a right angle tothe palm of the hand of the operator.

With this object in view the device includes primarily a flexible chuteof canvas or other suitable material having at one end means forconnecting the same with'a fruit sack. The said chute is provided at itsother end with a metallic ringhaving at one side a lug disposedapproximately at a right angle to the plane in which the ring hes.

This lug is adapted to bear against the palm.

of the hand of an operator and hold the ring approximately at a rightangle to the palm "of the hand so that the fruit may be readily droppedthrough the ring into the chute after it has been severed from the stemof the plant.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view. showing thegatherer applied to an operator. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of theupper portion of the gatherer. Fig. 3 is a detailed view'in edgeelevation of a ring used in the gatherer.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing the gatherer comprises a sacklwhich may be of usual pattern and which is adapted to be suspended orhung from the shoulders of an operator by means of a strap 2.

A chute 3 is provided at one end with a series of" snap hooks 4 whichare adapted to be engaged with the'upper edgefportion of the sack 1 whenthe same is in position upon the body of amoperator. This chute 3 is.provided at points along its length with 3 and the said ring isprovided with a depending lug 7 which is disposed approximately at aright angle to the plane in which the body portion of the said ringlies. The ring 6 and the lug 7 is preferably formed of a single piece ofwire as clearly illustrated in the drawings. When the sack is inposition upon the body of an operator and the chute 3 and loops 5 areproperly adjusted the lug 7 will bear against the wrist or palm of thehand of the operator and consequently the body portion of the ring 6 isheld approximately at a.- right angle to the palm of the hand. Thus asthe fruit is picked or cut from the stems of the plant the fingers ofthe hand to which the chute 5 is applied may be used for directing thefruit into the ring 6 and the fruit may gravitate along the chute 3 intothe sack 1. Thus it will beseen that a simple means is provided fordirecting the fruit from the stems of the plant into the sack and indoing so it is not necessary for an operator to lower the hand from anelevated position down to the sack in order to introduce the fruit intothe same.

The ring 6 is preferably constructed by bringing the portions of thewire together and soldering them at the point 8 whereby the body portionof the ring is formed and claimed is tively rigid ring located aroundthe receiv- 5 ing end of the chute and having at one side Havingdescribed the invention what is the chute at the side of the ring andadjacent the lug and adapted to receive a hand.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT G. CRUSON.

In a fruit gatherer a chute and a. relalug disposed approximatelyWitnesses:

WIL IAM M. CHADsEY,

MILFORD MOCAWLEY.

at a right the said ring lies and a loop mounted on

